Lancers hope for redemption, trip to Silverdome

Published 7:00 pm, Wednesday, November 17, 2004

When the Lancers line up against Saginaw Nouvel in Saturdays Division 5 football state semifinal, they hope to redeem the school for lopsided playoff losses to the Panthers in 1996 (50-20) and 1997 (48-6).

Bullock Creek has looked forward to this game for seven long years. For the Lancers, its payback time.

When the Lancers line up against Saginaw Nouvel in Saturdays Division 5 football state semifinal, they hope to redeem the school for lopsided playoff losses to the Panthers in 1996 (50-20) and 1997 (48-6).

"I wasnt on the varsity coaching staff at that time, but, oh, I remember it. And it wasnt a pretty sight," said Creek coach Darren Kalina.

"The kids have got a little energy in them right now, and theyve been hitting pretty hard. We just want Saturday to roll around a little (quicker) than usual," he continued.

The game is at 1 p.m. at Clares football stadium at Brookwood Park. The winner will play in the Division 5 final against Jackson Lumen Christi or Detroit Crockett the following Saturday at the Pontiac Silverdome.

Creek and Nouvel are both unbeaten and have both put together imposing numbers.

The Panthers (11-0) average 47 points a game and give up 11.6. The Lancers (12-0) average 36.8 points a game and give up 12.8.

Even in the playoffs, theyve both won by wide margins: Nouvel by an average of 21.3 points, and Creek by 17.

But thats about where the similarities end.

Nouvel has an all-time playoff record of 23-16 and was the Division 6 runner-up last year, while the Lancers are 4-4 all-time in the playoffs, including three wins this year.

Nouvel passes the ball about two-thirds of the time. Senior quarterback Dustin Kestner has thrown for more than 2,400 yards and 30 TDs, and he has four senior wide receivers who are two-year starters.

"They have three receivers, maybe four, that are college (football)-bound," Kalina said. "Its hard to match up with, but I think the boys are up to it."

"We like to spread it out and operate with four receivers. Its a little bit different than what Bullock Creek does," said fifth-year Nouvel coach Mike Boyd.

Different indeed. Creek runs the ball on nearly every down, with juniors Trent Way and Adam Rider combining for about 3,000 rushing yards and more than 40 total touchdowns.

Boyds primary concern is getting Creeks offense off the field.

"I think the key for us is to figure out a way to stop them," he said. "Theyll control the football the entire game if you cant stop them."

Kalina hopes for long, time-eating drives like the Lancers had last week against Gladstone.

"Yeah, Id like to do that," he said. "Time of possession and turnovers are obviously huge in football."

"Theyve got some fast kids," Kalina said. "(But) we always tell our kids its not how fast you are  its how fast you play. We do all right at that."

For his part, Boyd is quite wary of the Lancers speed.

"Theyre definitely quicker up front than we are, and were a little bit bigger than them," he said. "So were going to be just like everybody else (theyve played). Were going to have our hands full up front."

To get to the Clare stadium, take US-10 west and exit left at the Business-10/Clare exit. Drive through Clare, go through the light at Business-127, then turn right on Ann Arbor Trail. Go about 1/2 mile, and the stadium is on the right.